Tim Noakes talks carbs at Science Centre

Where carbs lurk, controversy can never be far behind – particularly when Professor Tim Noakes is involved. Get your fill of the Noakes philosophy when the man at the centre of a dietary storm puts the case for a low-carb-high-fat lifestyle at the Cape Town Science Centre next week.

The discussion will look at how the human diet has evolved over the past 2 to 3 million years, from hunting, through the agricultural revolution to modern diets and how these dietary changes have affected health. Importantly, Noakes will touch on how carbohydrate consumption relates to children.

Noakes says that the adoption of low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets has led to increasing obesity and diabetes. He explains: “It is due to the provision of addictive, highly processed foods, which induce over-eating in susceptible individuals. Thus the cure for the obesity epidemic is to reduce the consumption of highly addictive, carbohydrate-rich foods”. And, he adds: “This can only be achieved by substituting high-fat, high-protein foods.” His iconoclastic view has led to predictable outrage among the nutritional sciences establishment. An unrepentant Noakes responds: “Unfortunately, the public has been misled to believe that such diets are unhealthy because they increase the risk of heart disease. There is no good evidence for this belief.”

The talk will include a facilitated question and answer session, and the benefits of low-carbohydrate eating plans.

The entry fee is R100, and all donations to the Cape Town Science Centre are welcome. For more information, or to reserve your seat contact the Cape Town Science Centre on 021 300 3200 or info@ctsc.org.za.